Israel pounds Lebanon, Gaza after U.S. truce push

U.S.-led ceasefire effort fails; nearly 50 Palestinians killed in Gaza overnight; Israel pounds Beirut's southern suburbs on Friday (November 1, 2024) morning with at least 10 strikes

Israel bombarded the Gaza Strip and Beirut's southern suburbs on Friday (November 1, 2024) a day after U.S. envoys made a renewed but so far fruitless diplomatic push to end more than a year of fighting between Israel and Iran-backed groups Hamas and Hezbollah.

Overnight, 47 Palestinians were killed and dozens more injured in Israeli strikes on the city of Deir Al-Balah, the Nuseirat camp and the town of Al-Zawayda in the central Gaza Strip, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

The Israeli military said its troops had killed what it called armed terrorists in central Gaza and northern Gaza's Jabalia area.

Israel pounds Lebanon

Israel also pummeled Beirut's southern suburbs on Friday (November 1, 2024) morning with at least 10 strikes, Reuters journalists said. It was the first bombardment on the area - once a densely-packed district and Hezbollah stronghold - in nearly a week.

The strikes came after Israel issued evacuation orders for 10 separate neighbourhoods. The attacks began before the final series of orders were published.

Israel has pressed on with its military offensives in devastated Gaza and Lebanon despite efforts by Washington to secure ceasefires on both fronts ahead of the U.S. presidential election next Tuesday. The hostilities have whittled away any hope a truce could be reached before next week.

Addressing graduating Israeli troops on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "agreements, documents, proposals are not the main point."

"The main point is our ability and determination to enforce security, thwart attacks against us, and act against the arming of our enemies, as necessary and despite any pressure and constraints. This is the main point," he said.

His office said he relayed a similar message to U.S. envoys Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk in Israel on Thursday.

Israeli stubbornness

Lebanon's caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati said on Friday (November 1, 2024): "Israeli statements and diplomatic signals received by Lebanon confirm the Israeli stubbornness in rejecting the proposed solutions and insisting on the approach of killing and destruction".

Israel also carried out strikes on Thursday (October 31, 2024) on the region of Baalbek in Lebanon's east, home to UNESCO-listed Roman ruins. A cultural group that organises yearly festivals amid the ruins said some cracks were visible due to nearby Israeli strikes.

Published - November 01, 2024 05:17 pm IST